‘The Flash’ Casts Firestorm Villain ‘Plastique’; Could a Spinoff Be in The Works?

After a strong showing at Comic-Con 2014, The CW’s small screen adaptation of The Flash is continuing its momentum by expanding the cast of DC Comics heroes and villains on what seems to be a daily basis. The latest character added to the roster is none other than ‘Bette Sans Souci,’ an explosive metahuman going by the moniker Plastique, now set to be played by Kelly Frye.

News of the character’s addition comes from E! Online, with Frye’s first appearance coming in Episode 5 of The Flash‘s first season. According to their source, Sans Souci will be a veteran bomb disposal expert who, in a cruel twist of fate, is given the ability to turn any item into an explosive device by the same S.T.A.R. Labs disaster that blesses Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) with superspeed.

Proving that metahuman abilities don’t turn anyone into a supervillain, the character will apparently be fleeing US forces looking to use her powers for their own ends when she runs into Allen, meaning she could potentially become an ally. That is unless Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) can recruit her for his own team.

In the original comics, it was Firestorm, not The Flash, who was first tied to the arrival of Plastique. When Sans Souci (French for “carefree”) began using explosives in an act of terrorism, it was that hero (also known as Ronnie Raymond) who foiled her plan. Eventually gaining the ability to create explosive energy, Plastique found her way into everything from the Suicide Squad to the Secret Society of Super Villains.

Since Firestorm will be played by Robbie Amell on The CW series, the presence of two villains tied more closely to him than Barry Allen – first Killer Frost, now Plastique – implies that the showrunners may be placing a larger emphasis on Firestorm than a secondary character generally receives. Executive producer Greg Berlanti previously claimed that the writers “designed the series to include Ronnie,” from the very beginning, but it’s becoming increasingly clear just how integral ‘The Nuclear Man’ may be to the series’ opening chapters.

With so much emphasis being placed on Firestorm, we have to ask the question: does The CW have plans for launching a standalone series based on Ronnie Raymond in the future? DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns has explained that for Warner Bros., the movie and TV universes are intended to stand on their own, and while Firestorm may not be on the same level as Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman, he is certainly deserving of a TV adaptation.

As an everyday young man who possesses the ability to psychically link with his former professor to gain mastery over elements on the atomic level, “Firestorm” was aimed squarely at a teenage audience (what high school student doesn’t dream of working their way into the Justice League?). By casting Amell – who had previously starred in The CW’s Tomorrow People, it’s possible that the network is starting to lay the groundwork for another spin-off almost immediately.

We already know that Arrow will be one half of a four-hour crossover event for Episode 8 in both of the shows’ upcoming season, meaning three Justice League members could potentially share the screen. Does it make sense to keep two on one show? Or if Amell’s Firestorm gains an audience, could The CW hand each of the heroes their very own spotlight?

The top priority for now is, of course, to get The Flash moving forward and catching on as well as Arrow. The showrunners are off to a strong start on that front, with our review of The Flash‘s pilot episode seeing serious potential for the series. But just as one success spawned another – while using a love interest as a link between stories – the creative team may be looking to repeat the feat. Of course, that’s just speculation on our part.

Would you be on board with the idea? Or would you like to see Barry Allen simply gain a partner and metahuman friend with which to join forces on a week-to-week basis? Share your own thoughts in the comments, and we’ll keep you up to date if more signs surface.

The Flash premieres Tuesday, October 7th, 2014 @8pm on The CW.

Follow me on Twitter @andrew_dyce for updates on The Flash as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.